Local String Quartet to Perform This Week

October 17, 2002

Shawnee's own Red River Quartet will perform works by Mozart, Brahms and Bernhard Henrik Crusell at a fall concert Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Oklahoma Baptist University's Yarborough Auditorium.

The graduate student quartet, which forms the core of the Shawnee Community Orchestra strings section, shares a joint residency at OBU and the University of Oklahoma with funding by the Kirkpatrick Foundation. The quartet performs on both campuses and in local public schools to raise interest in orchestral programs.

Members of the Red River Quartet include graduate students George Figueroa, violin, Sarah Kapps, cello, Ruth Klein, violin, and newcomer Michael Whitson, viola.

Figueroa, a native of New York City, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida. He studied at the New World School of the Arts in Miami and played with the New World Symphony. He currently is a candidate for a master of music degree at the University of Oklahoma.

Kapps, who earned an undergraduate degree from the Mannes College of Music and a master's of music degree from Manhattan School of Music, has traveled worldwide performing. She appeared with Johnny Mathis, Anne Murray, Joni Mitchell, Electric Light Orchestra and was a member of the Rittenhouse String Quartet of Philadelphia.

Klein, who earned a bachelor's degree in music education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, has performed with orchestras across the country as a member and soloist. She currently coaches with Shem Guibbory in New York. Klein has done graduate work at OU and Temple University.

Whitson, a native of Palo Alto, Calif., earned an undergraduate degree from San Francisco Conservatory of Music and received a full scholarship for his graduate work at OU.

As a member of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra from 1986-96, Whitson played both viola and harpsichord. He also participated in the Olympic Chamber Music Institute and the California Summer Festival and received a full scholarship to the Kneisel Hall Music Festival.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts at 878-2305 or visit www2.okbu.edu.